Is there some frustrating setting in with the Florida Panthers in their second-round series with the Boston Bruins? The case could be made that there is some after head coach Paul Maurice had what some would call a bizarre postgame press conference following Tuesday’s nights Game 5 in Sunrise.
After taking a commanding 3-1 series lead with a 3-2 Game 4 win Sunday in Boston, the Panthers had a chance to close out the series and send Bosotn packing for the summer for the second consecutive season while advancing to the Eastern Conference Final. It would have been easy to lay some money down on Florida as Boston played without Brad Marchand for the second straight game. Still, the Black and Gold put together a gutsy effort led by Jeremy Swayman for a season-saving 2-1 victory to shift the series back to the TD Garden for Game 6 Friday night.
Following the game, Maurice addressed the media and gave several odd quotes, including one about what Friday will look like early in the day and then when the puck drops.
Paul Maurice gives an odd take on Game 6
Maurice referred to what the morning skate for the Bruins is going to look like and the high-end journalism that he expects to be done on the status of Marchand.
Maurice on Game 6:"It's gonna be an absolute barnburner in there. There'll be 18,000 cameras on the morning skate just to see how many sips of water bottle Brad Marchand takes. There’s going to be some high-end investigative journalism. Guys go home & get a nap bc you’ve got some…
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) May 15, 2024
OK, yes, this is odd in many ways. Marchand has been a topic of discussion since Game 3 when Sam Bennett sucker punched him in the face, which knocked him out of the third period, and Games 4 and 5. The play was not looked at by NHL Department of Player Safety and with Bennett’s history, it’s a little surprising. Ask Toronto Maple Leafs fans about last spring when the same thing was done to Matthew Knies.
Maurice also gave an explanation as to why he cursed his team out during the game in which he clearly thought they were going to win.
Of course, this display by Maurice was likely a tactic of some kind, but it clearly came off as frustrating and a Bruins win Friday night to force a Game 7 would be a lot of pressure on Maurice and the Panthers, regardless of what he says following Friday night’s game.